In matters of American Horror Story: Apocalypse [1], there are still plenty of mysteries to unpack. I mean, we can't even figure out why Michael Langdon looks like he's 30 years old despite having only lived for a decade [2]. And we're still not even sure how the season will reconcile that whole timeline mix-up with Hotel [3]. Logistical and practical problems aside, there's one other mystery in the season that's really keeping us on our toes: we can't seem to figure out what's the deal with Mallory. Just Mallory.
So far, we know she showed a lot of promise during her days at Miss Robichaux's Academy For Exceptional Young Ladies. Zoe has heard that she may be descended from the original witches of Salem. We know she's powerful enough that Cordelia had to hide her identity with a spell. We know she has great powers buried deep inside her, powers so impressive and terrifying that even Michael, the Antichrist [4], is shaken by her true nature. But who (or what), exactly, is she? Lucky for all of us, the internet is bubbling over with ideas, and I'm breaking down the likelihood of each.
The Next Supreme
This one's a bit of a long shot, but it's also one that seems to be a pretty popular theory around the web. Sure, it's possible Mallory could be the next Supreme: she's a very powerful witch whose bloodline, according to Zoe, stretches all the way back to the original witches of Salem. The thing is, Cordelia has only just ascended to her role as Supreme. From what we've learned so far, Supremes tend to hold their power for decades, ruling over a new generation of witches.
Then again, Fiona held on to her position as Supreme for far too long, past her expiration date. Is it possible Fiona's selfishness ate away into Cordelia's time as Supreme? I mean, it's not impossible. I personally think Mallory is not the next Supreme, though.
A Fallen Angel
It's clear Apocalypse is quite laden with Biblical allegory. Michael, of course, is the Antichrist, but there have been plenty of allusions to Adam and Eve, the Forbidden Fruit, and so on and so forth. We also know Michael is afraid of Mallory and that her powers match or perhaps exceed his. Is it possible that she's an angel, a sentinel sent from Heaven to fight this battle on Earth?
It would make sense for Mallory to be the opposite of Michael, the son of Satan. Perhaps she's filled to the brim with the kind of good that could vanquish his evil.
A Descendant of Scáthach
Zoe says Mallory is a direct descendant from the witches of Salem. Could it be that she is, in fact, related to the original Supreme? Based on the timeline for the series [5], we know Scáthach first came to power in the colonial era, when Roanoke was just a colony. Though the Salem witch trials didn't happen at exactly the same time, it's close enough that Scáthach could be involved with America's first witches.
There's actually a pretty strong case for this theory, too: it would explain why Michael is afraid of Mallory and Mallory is so powerful. After all, we know Michael's powers are more impressive than the current Supreme, Cordelia. But Scáthach worshiped old gods, gods that may even predate modern religious tradition. Perhaps her powers come from a greater, much more ancient well. If Michael's powers come from the Antichrist story and the tradition of Catholicism, Mallory may simply have a story that goes much further into history. That's pretty major.
A Greek Goddess
Speaking of old gods, old worlds, and old religions, perhaps we should be looking into a different kind of mythology to identify Mallory. Greek mythology has popped up on AHS before: consider Coven's Minotaur, for instance. That's why it's not totally out of the question for AHS to incorporate entities from beyond the Biblical realm.
So, who could Mallory be? The easiest grab is Hecate, who is literally the Greek goddess of witchcraft. She draws her powers from the moon, the night, ghosts, spirits, and even necromancy.
There are other options, too! Gaia is literally the Greek personification of nature and Earth. Kind of like Mother Nature. Perhaps that's how she can manipulate her rose so effortlessly and turn it into butterflies! Then there's Demeter, who is goddess of the Earth's fertility.
Maybe this would explain why Mallory confounds Michael so completely? Her powers are completely different than his, almost otherworldly. Remember, Michael is merely the son of Satan. I could imagine him being just a bit intimidated by a literal goddess.
Lilith
Lilith is a villain that has popped up in many different pieces of pop culture, the most notable being True Blood and Supernatural. In the former, she's considered the first vampire, a very religious figure for the creatures of the night. In the latter, she's a very powerful, evil demon.
Historically, Lilith has been many things. In Christianity, she was thought to be Adam's first wife, before Eve [6]. According to the stories, God banished her from Eden for being too willful. In other myths throughout history [7], she adheres more to Supernatural's interpretation: one of the oldest, most evil, most powerful demons.
Here's a fun kicker: in some Occult traditions, Lilith has been thought of as the wife of Satan [8], perhaps even his mother, grandmother, or concubine. This would absolutely be a good call for Mallory, as if she were cut from the same cloth as Michael. But since she might be higher up in the ranks than Michael, the son of Satan, it would explain why she's more powerful.
All things considered, one thing's for sure: Mallory may be the key to unlocking the season of Apocalypse as a whole. We can't wait to see what's revealed in the episodes that lay ahead.